Ultimate Ice Cream Sundae Guide

The sundae: one or more scoops of ice cream, topped with one or more syrups (chocolate, caramel, or fruit). These days a whipped cream topping is essential, as are some kind of textured topping, alone or in combination (candy sprinkles, nuts, and—occasionally—canned or fresh fruit). And a sundae wouldn’t be a sundae without a crowning maraschino cherry.

HISTORY Who invented the ice cream sundae? That’s a matter of opinion, fueled by local pride. Some say the first sundae was dished in Ithaca, New York, in 1892. Two Wisconsin towns—Two Rivers and Manitowoc—have competing claims. Buffalo, New York, has stepped up. Same with Norfolk Virginia and Plainfield, Illinois. Oh, and don’t forget Evanston, Illinois, Cleveland, New York City, and New Orleans. What seems clear is that the sundae was the creation of late 19th-century America, either as a simple dish of scooped ice cream doused in fruit syrup, or an ice cream soda (ice cream and syrup) without the fizzy water, since in some places (Illinois, for instance) the drinking of soda was illegal on Sundays.

This Middle Eastern–inspired ice cream sundae is a cool way to end a meal of grilled kebabs on a hot summer night, but instead of chocolate sauce and caramel, try topping your ice cream with grilled fresh figs. Get our Grilled Fig and Orange Blossom Sundaes recipe.

From bittersweet fudge and smoky almonds to habanero chile–pineapple sauce, we’ve got 14 unusual yet delicious sundaes, as described by the Chowhound community and photographed by Chris Rochelle. Browse our sundae toppings gallery.

6. Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping

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Combine chocolate with a little vegetable oil (nearly any type of chocolate—milk, bittersweet, or semisweet, but not unsweetened—will work). It’s a fun and easy way to fancy up your next ice cream sundae. Get our Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping recipe.

7. Basic Caramel Sauce

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This recipe is really just a matter of using your eyes to judge when it’s done (no fancy thermometer required). When the sugar and water turn a, well, caramel color, you know it’s ready! Get our Basic Caramel Sauce recipe.

A warm, drippy marshmallow sauce may be the underdog topping when compared to chocolate sauce, but it adds a little texture and sweet vanilla pop to an ice cream sundae. Get our Marshmallow Sauce recipe.